In the News

What are We to do Without the Mass?

By Fr. Jeff | 03/17/2020

The way in which we live out our faith has changed drastically in the last two weeks. We first heard of the Coronavirus in China back in December. It has been spreading since then. Other countries like Italy began to…

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3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 03/15/2020

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year AExodus 17:3-7Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)Romans 5:1-2, 5-8John 4:5-42March 15, 2020 After God set them free from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites found themselves in the desert thirsting for water.  Water is not just a…

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5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 02/08/2020

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 58:7-10Psalm 112:4-5, 607, 8-9 (4a)1 Corinthians 2:1-5Matthew 5:13-16February 8, 2020 Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.” Who is He speaking to?  Who is the…

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The Application of Just War Theory

By Fr. Jeff | 01/03/2020

I just watched the national news talking about the killing of an Iranian general. Our government says he is responsible for terrorism and was currently planning attacks against American citizens. I do not want to make any judgment on the…

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Providing Meaning

By Fr. Jeff | 10/22/2019

Twelve years ago, on June 30, 2007, I was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. I serve and am incarnated in the Diocese of Rochester. Priests who are incarnated in a diocese are called diocesan or secular priests.…

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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/11/2019

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CWisdom 18:6-9Psalm 93:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22 (17b)Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19Luke 12:32-48August 11, 2019 “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.”  The Lord has chosen to make all of us his children. …

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You Can’t Fight Hate with Hate

By Fr. Jeff | 08/05/2019

We continue to see violence. This Saturday, August 3rd, there was a shooting in El Paso, Texas at a Walmart. The death toll now stands at 22 with more than two dozen injured. Law enforcement officials say the evidence points…

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8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 03/03/2019

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CSirach 27:4-7Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (see 2a)1 Corinthians 15:54-58Luke 6:39-45March 3, 2019 “Can a blind person guide a blind person?”  If they try, they may “both fall into a pit.”  If a blind person…

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Another Tragic Shooting

By Fr. Jeff | 11/08/2018

I woke this morning, November 8, 2018, to hear the news of another mass shooting, this time in a bar in southern California.  Twelve people are dead along with the shooter himself.  As I watch the news this evening, a…

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God Our Help and Our Hope – Homily for October 2018 Holy Hour

By Fr. Jeff | 10/17/2018

Homily for October 2018 Holy Hour Ezekiel 34:1-6, 11-12a Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 1 John 1:5-2:2 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 In the days of Ezekiel many shepherds were more concerned about their own wants than taking care of the flock…

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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 09/02/2018

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5 (1a) James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 September 2, 2018 Beginning today and for the next few weeks our second reading comes from the…

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The Parkland Shooting and the 1st Sunday of Lent, Year B – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 02/18/2018

1st Sunday of Lent, Year B Genesis 9:8-15 Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (10) 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15 February 18, 2018 Our readings today begin by taking us back to the time of Noah.  The world had given into sin. …

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Another School Shooting

By Fr. Jeff | 02/15/2018

Today’s first reading begins “Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom.”  We each have a choice.  We can choose “life and prosperity” or “death and gloom“.  We would think everyone would want…

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27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 10/08/2017

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 5:1-7 Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20 Philippians 4:6-9 Matthew 21:33-43 For the Israelites, the use of the image of the vineyard in relation to God was a familiar one.  Isaiah speaks…

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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/20/2017

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus moved on to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  This might have seemed surprising to the Jews.  Tyre and…

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A Voice Crying Out in the Desert

By Fr. Jeff | 08/18/2017

Last week it was the situation in North Korea that was the headlines on the news.  Then came the white nationalist activity in Charlottesville, VA.  Yesterday brought a car driving through a crowd of people in Barcelona Spain.  Today (August…

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Korea & the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/13/2017

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus’ disciples found themselves a few miles offshore “being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.” …

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Conflict and the “Joy of the Gospel”

By Fr. Jeff | 08/08/2017

I have been reading Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) for the last couple of weeks (I read slowly as I reflect over the text).  I just read paragraph 227 and was deeply struck by it.  I think it…

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The Fourth of July and Our Faith

By Fr. Jeff | 07/04/2017

Back on June 22nd I wrote about St. John Fisher, St. Thomas More and the “Fortnight for Freedom.”  That “Fortnight for Freedom” began on June 21st.  It ends today on July 4th, the day we, in the United States, celebrate…

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12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 06/25/2017

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33 Jesus says “Fear no one.” What do you fear?  For our new graduates, they can be happy and excited to have graduated…

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St. John Fisher and the Fortnight For Freedom

By Fr. Jeff | 06/22/2017

Today, June 22nd, is the Optional Memorial of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More.  In the Diocese of Rochester (United States), St. John Fisher is the patron saint of our diocese.  That means for our diocese today is a…

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Assisted Suicide & the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 02/04/2017

This is our diocesan public policy weekend.  This year’s issue reflected below is speaking against a bill introduced in the NYS Legislative recently to allow assisted suicide.  For more on this issue, check out the USCCB “To Live Each Day…

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A Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Life

By Fr. Jeff | 01/23/2017

The title I have given this article, “A Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Life” is not my own line.  It is the name given to this day by our United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Yesterday…

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Standing Up For Life

By Fr. Jeff | 01/22/2016

Today is January 22. 2016 and that means the March for Life is going on in Washington, DC today.  In recognition of our call to prayer and action, we celebrated a Vigil Mass for Life last night.  Below is the homily…

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2nd Sunday of Advent, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 12/06/2015

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year C Baruch 5:1-9 Psalm 126:1-6 Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 Luke 3:1-6 December 6, 2015 Baruch writes to the people “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery, put on the splendor of glory from God…

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